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Home My WebLink About05. Approve the addition of Option 1 to the Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program (BACBP)Page 1 of 4 Item 5. CENTRAL SAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS ' POSITION PAPER MEETING DATE: DECEMBER 7, 2017 SUBJECT: APPROVE THE ADDITION OF OPTION 1 TO THE BAYAREA COMMUTER BENEFITS PROGRAM (BACBP). APPROVAL RECOMMENDED BY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE. SUBMITTED BY: INITIATING DEPARTMENT: TEJI O'MALLEY, HUMAN RESOURCES OPERATIONS - POD - HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER REVIEWED BY: ANN SASAKI, DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER ROGER S. BAILEY GENERAL MANAGER Roger S. Bailey General Manager ISSUE Board approval is needed to add the implementation of Option 1 to the District's current Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program (BACBP). BACKGROUND Pursuant to SB 1339 and codified by California Government Code Section 65081, the District is required to implement the Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program (BACBP). The statute requires that all employers with 50 or more full-time employees must provide commuter benefits to their employees and notify their employees about the program, as well as comply with several record-keeping requirements. I n September 2014, the District implemented the program by offering one of four options that were available to ensure compliance with the terms of the program. The District currently offers Option 4B, which consists of the following: December 7, 2017 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 54 of 240 Page 2 of 4 • Preferred carpool and vanpool parking • Participation in an emergency/guaranteed ride home program • Secure, on-site bicycle parking • Showers and lockers for employees who bicycle/walk. Employers may offer more options at its discretion, and, at Administration Committee Chair McGill's request, staff recently provided additional options to the Committee for consideration, to bring the District above and beyond compliance. Those options were as follows: • Option 1: The employer allows employees to exclude their transit or vanpool (must be able to seat more than 6 adults) costs from taxable income, to the maximum extent permitted by Internal Revenue Service (I RS) regulations, which is currently $255 per month. The financial impacts associated with this option would be administrative staff costs, as the District would be required to manage the reimbursement claim process. • Option 2: The employer provides a non-taxable transit or vanpool subsidy to cover or reduce the employees' monthly transit or vanpool costs. The current maximum amount is $75 per month and is adjusted for inflation every year. The financial impacts associated with this option would depend on the number of employees that took advantage of the subsidy, as well as the amount of each employee's transit or vanpool costs. In addition, there would be administrative staff costs, as the employer would be required to manage the reimbursement/claim process. • Option 3: The employer provides a free or low-cost bus, shuttle, or vanpool service for employees. The financial impacts associated with this option would be anticipated to be much higher than all other options that are currently available but would be dependent on the type of service the District were to provide to employees. • Option 4 (A or C): The employer provides an alternative commuter benefit that is as effective as Option 1, 2, or 3 in reducing single -occupancy commute trips. The attached chart reflects the options that are available, and the financial impacts associated with any of these options would be dependent on the option selected. • Option 4A requires an employer to select one Primary Measure and two Secondary Measures. • Option 4B requires an employer to select at least four Secondary Measures (currently implemented by the District). • Option 4C can be a combination of the two sets of measures but must be approved by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). After discussion with the Committee on each of the available options, the Committee recommended moving forward with implementing Option 1. ALT ERNAT IVES/CONSIDERAT IONS Do not implement any additions to the current BACBP, implement alternate additions, or implement more than Option 1 to the current BACBP from the options listed above. FINANCIAL IMPACTS The financial impacts associated with Option 1 would be administrative staff costs, as the District would be required to manage the reimbursement process. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION December 7, 2017 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 55 of 240 Page 3 of 4 The Administration Committee discussed the available options at its October 16, 2017 meeting and recommended Board approval of adding Option 1 to the District's current BACBP. RECOMMENDED BOARD ACTION Approve the addition of Option 1 to the BACBP, allowing employees to exclude their transit or vanpool costs from taxable income to the maximum extent permitted by I RS regulations (currently $255 per month). Strategic Plan Tie -In GOAL FOUR: Develop and retain a highly trained and innovative workforce Strategy 2 - Enhance Relationships with Employees and Bargaining Units ATTACHMENTS: Option 4 Measures December 7, 2017 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 56 of 240 Page 4 of 4 Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program Oation 4 Measures ,,r M.z,:ULIS _ ❑ Carpool Subsidy ($3/day shat eriiplo" e% carpools [] Bicycle subsidy ($z(;jmanth) ❑ Telecommute Schedule Compressed WoAweek ❑ Barking Cash-Dw (for ernplo"r's who are subkeet to 0 Californla's statewide Parking Cash -Out haw or If the employer opts to offer Parki ng Gash -out even if it is net subject to t he lawl. ❑ Electric Vehicle Implementation (fieet changeover, EV car share, charging stations for employees, etc. } Q Preferred paridrng for carpools 0 Provide ernployer-specific carpofll matrh service E] Employer-provided membership In a car -sharing pragam Participation in an emergenryfgparanteed ride hame prograrn Secure, on-site bieyrJe parking El Showers and blcycle lockers for employees Employer-sponsored Bike Share Program E] Emptoy,ree commuting awards program (ex= bLonus vacation day; free lunch; gift card; etc.) E] On-site amenity (ATM; cafe; catered I unch; on- site childcare, dry cleaning, etc.) C] Provision of a shamed mechanism for viewing real time commuting Into (ex: flat screen monitor in 10i F1 Lunchtime shuttle December 7, 2017 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 57 of 240